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Los Angeles County Firefighters IAFF Local 1014
Representing over 3200 Firefighters, Paramedics, Dispatchers,
Pilots, Wildland Firefighters, Forestry and Health Haz Mat Personnel
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FRIDAY UPDATE
Brothers and Sisters,
It was a historic week for Local 1014! On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed the LA County Fire District 911 Firefighter/Paramedic Emergency Response Measure for the March 2020 ballot. This measure will change our Department for many generations to come. It will provide the funding for much-needed relief for our staffing crisis as well as replacement and upgrading of our aging fire stations and equipment.
We would like to thank the Board of Supervisors especially Supervisors Janice Hahn and Kathryn Barger, the movers of this motion for their innovation and continuous support. We would also like to thank Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, Supervisor Hilda Solis and Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas for their strong voices in support of our members and their commitment to getting the resources we need.
We would also like to thank our 1014 Executive Board and all our partners including Chief Daryl Osby, Assistant Chief Eleni Pappas, Deputy Chief Jon O'Brian, LACoFD Medical Director Dr. Clayton Kazan, Firefighter/Paramedic Erin Regan, our Contract City officials, and our members of the business community who spoke in support of this measure for our members and our communities.
While it is important to address the mental health side of what our members see each day, we cannot ignore the underlying issues of recalls, understaffing, deployment and lack of resources. Currently, we do not meet the national standard for staffing of the National Fire Protection Association. This has a direct impact on our ability to take care of the public and our firefighters. This measure will go a long way towards fixing those issues.
As the County has grown, we have seen an overwhelming increase in call volume and call complexity. Not since Proposition E in 1997 have we asked the voters for additional funding for our Fire Department. We have been good stewards of the public’s funds and have used them to provide world-class service to our residents. But since 1997, we have seen a dramatic shift in the scope of our emergency services, the intensity of our fire season and the use of technology as a critically important tool for providing emergency services. While our members have adapted to the growing needs of the community, we need the voters to recognize that these needs are changing for the County and our members.
We have a lot of work to do before the March ballot and your Union will be leading the political charge to ensure that the voters understand the critical need for this funding for our members' health and safety and continued service to our communities.
Peer Support Quarterly Training
Today, the LA County Fire Peer Support Team hosted its final quarterly meeting of 2019 at the Dockweiler Youth Center in Playa del Rey. At the training, the Peer Support Team engaged in a year-end review highlighting the tremendous accomplishments of 2019 including the 2nd Annual Behavioral Health Safety Stand-Down, the doubling of our peer team from 70 to 140 members, and the completion of department-wide Batallion-level training for all LACOFD members. During the training, our Peer Support Team Leads held a "Peer Support Review" of the Saugus High School Shooting and discussed best practices for peer responses in the future.
Finally, Peer Coordinator Scott Ross presented the Peer Team with the Public Safety Peer Support Association’s 2019 Meritorious Service Team Award! The national award recognizes the team’s mission of providing invaluable peer support for first responders and was presented to LACoFD last month at the national conference. While we made great strides in building the Peer Program this year, there is more work to do as we look to expand their mission and continue to break the stigma of behavioral health in the fire service.
Have a great weekend. Stay safe and take care of each other.
In Solidarity,
President Dave Gillotte and the Local 1014 Executive Board
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